Thoughts on Channing Tatum: Movie Moments Analysis

For the past two weeks I have been ranting about the movies that are in theaters. I promised myself I would see TED and that I would NOT see Magic Mike. Well, I did the exact opposite.

I am actually glad I did see Magic Mike because it sparked a reason for me to write this article. Let’s call it…Channing Tatum’s Movie Moments. Now mind you, I admire Channing Tatum’s work. It is obvious that he works hard to fit into many characters and articulates each one differently. But Magic Mike was a shocker for me. I did not really expect him to play a role like that and frankly I think it was beneath him. Excuse me for being harsh but I did not appreciate his talent as much in the film.

Let’s rewind to Coach Carter, Channing Tatum’s first film according to good ole’ Wikipedia. He had a small part in that movie, but it was believable. Then we go to Step Up when everyone noticed Channing Tatum‘s abs and there’s a lot more to talk about. Step Up honestly is still one of my favorites. It was romantic, it was quirky, and he had some whit. Of course some parts could have been flushed out better but overall I give it a 7. Other critics did not agree. The average score on this movie was a 48/100 on Metacritic, so I assume that’s not the best for Channing Tatum.

Moving on to She’s The Man with Amanda Bynes. This movie actually received a 45 but I would at least give it a 60. I thought it was a pretty good movie and was definitely hilarious. Step-Up 2 on the other hand is why I do not believe in unnecessary sequels. The cast was amazing, including Channing Tatum, but the movie was a little “danced out.”

If we fast-forward to Dear John, I have such mixed feelings about this film. I saw this movie in the theatres and that is why I thought it was so bad. When you pay $9 to see a movie that you could have seen on HBO you get a little disappointed. A year later, I watched the movie again and it really wasn’t that bad. I don’t think it was his worst but him and Amanda Seyfried just did not do it for me.

Tatum played the “bad boy” in The Dilemma and that was interesting. By this time he has played the boy next door, the boy that lives next to the boy next door, the dancer, the warrior, and a much more. I’m proud of him for that but I think most people appreciate his romantic roles the best, which brings me to The Vow. I absolutely loved this movie. Rachel McAdams and Tatum were an amazing pair and they both shined in the film.

From The Vow to 21 Jump Street, it is clear that Tatum is determined to be an all-around actor. I went into the movie thinking it would be overly inappropriate but it actually hit the perfect line between funny and crude. Also, Jonah Hill’s performance definitely complimented Tatum. But if we loop it all back to his most recent movie, Magic Mike, you will see I do not feel as generous about my compliments. I thought Magic Mike was a cheep way to get women to come see a movie about attractive men. A friend of mine paid for me to see the movie so that was my incentive. As I watched the film I was hoping there would be a hidden surreal story line under all the stripping and dollar bills, but I was wrong.

Overall, I think Tatum is a great actor. He has a special talent, and his boyish charm completes his roles. As far as I know he is filming The Bitter Pill now and will be filming Lego: The Piece of Resistance in the next two years so look out for that. As always, thanks for reading folks.